Pau Gasol scored 19 points and Andrew Bynum added 13 as the Los Angeles Lakers used their two big men to dominate inside against the Oklahoma City Thunder, winning 87-79 Sunday in the opener of their playoff series.
Kobe Bryant added 21 points on 6 of 19 shooting after missing four of the final five regular season games to rest his swollen right knee and broken right index finger.
Kevin Durant led the Thunder with 24 points and Russell Westbrook added 23.
Bynum returned from a 13-game absence because of a strained right Achilles' tendon, teaming with Gasol to pull down a combined 25 rebounds and deny the Thunder key second-chance baskets.
Game 2 in the best-of-7 series is Tuesday at Staples Center.
Magic 98, Bobcats 89
At Orlando, Florida, Jameer Nelson scored 24 of his 32 points in the first half as Orlando nearly blew a 22-point lead before beating Charlotte in Game 1.
Rashard Lewis added 19 points, and Dwight Howard had nine blocks but was limited offensively and in foul trouble for most of the second half.
Gerald Wallace had 25 points, and Stephen Jackson played through a hyperextended left knee to finish with 18 points in the Bobcats' first playoff game in franchise history.
Game 2 in the best-of-seven series is Wednesday night in Orlando.
Charlotte swarmed and slapped Howard on every opportunity near the rim to frustrate the Magic's All-Star center. Howard had five points and seven rebounds, and was 1 for 6 on free throws.
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